Personal injury claims cover a very broad array of topics and most people usually believe that these refer only to a very limited scope of cases. However, the reality is completely different. Basically, for most situations where you feel that you’ve suffered hard due to another person’s negligence, you can easily file a personal injury claim(as long as you have the evidence to back that up of course).
The US witnesses a number of personal injury cases per year and we’ll disclose some stats in the below paragraphs. By definition, personal injury law covers legal disputes that arise when one person suffers harm due to an accident or injury, and someone else might be legally responsible for that harm.
This area of law is broad, encompassing a variety of situations where negligence or intentional actions lead to physical, emotional, or financial damage. Understanding the scope of personal injury cases can help individuals recognize when they have a claim and how to pursue compensation.
Often, you might pass on the opportunity to get compensated for some costs just because you didn’t know you could file a personal injury claim.
Personal injury cases are more frequent than many people realize, impacting millions of lives each year. The US Department of Justice reports that around 400,000 personal injury claims are filed annually in the United States.
However, only a small fraction of these cases—about 4%—actually go to trial, with the majority settled out of court.
For instance, if we’re talking about car accidents that are the leading cause of personal injury claims, there are more than 6 million car accidents that take place across the US.
On the other hand, slip and fall accidents can also be frequent with more than a million emergency room visits per year.
The stats just go to show how widespread personal injury cases are and it’s important to be aware of their scope. As a potential victim, you need to be fully acquainted with the different types of personal injury cases. We’ve listed some of them below in the next paragraphs.
As said, some personal injury cases are more frequent than others. Some also leave more consequences and damage than the others. Nonetheless, it’s good to be familiarized with all of them.
Hands down, one of the most frequent personal injury cases are car accidents that take place on a regular basis. It’s simply impossible to have a day go by without hearing about a traffic accident.
Victims may suffer a range of injuries, from minor whiplash to life-altering spinal cord injuries. In most fatal cases, loss of life is the worst-case scenario. Compensation in these cases often covers medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare professional’s negligence leads to patient harm. That can refer to surgical errors, wrong diagnosis, medication mistakes and birth injuries as well.
In this case, as it’s a very sensitive subject, you might want to find a personal injury attorney. With medical malpractice cases, it’s usually necessary to gather evidence and build a strong case against the hospital, healthcare clinic or a healthcare professional.
You need some legal guidance to help you get through the process and a personal injury attorney can definitely help. These cases are very complex and often require experts to testify and discuss the issue at hand.
Employers are required to provide a safe working environment. However, accidents still occur, particularly in high-risk industries like construction and manufacturing. Workers' compensation typically covers these injuries, but in some cases, additional legal action may be necessary if negligence is involved.
Workplace injuries can come in all different forms and it’s really important to address them and to let your employer know what happened. That’s why it’s also suggested that employees go through some type of workplace safety training. And, of course, it’s the company’s responsibility to organize these types of workshops and training.
These should be done every year to ensure that employees are regularly reminded of the best safety practices.
Dog bites are quite common in the US and, as much as many hate to admit, dogs can be ruthless if provoked or if not trained properly. Therefore, it’s almost mandatory that dog owners train their dogs and never let them out without a leash if they can’t guarantee safety.
If a dog owner fails to control their dog, they can be held responsible if their pet bites or attacks someone. These cases often hinge on proving the owner's knowledge of the dog's aggressive tendencies or demonstrating that the owner failed to control their pet.
The rule for dog bites varies from state to state and it’s also important to have these regulations in mind when filing a claim. First, you need to be familiar with the rules of your state of residence.
Hopefully, you can now understand the scope of personal injuries a bit better. Personal injury law plays a crucial role in ensuring that victims of negligence receive the compensation they deserve.
By understanding the frequency and types of personal injury cases, individuals can have a better overview of their rights and options. Whether you’ve been injured in a car accident, suffered a slip and fall, or experienced medical malpractice, seeking legal guidance can help you get some justice and financial recovery.
If you or someone you know has been harmed, don’t hesitate to reach out to an experienced attorney to explore your legal options and help you get a fair claim.
Once you feel like you’ve been a victim of a personal injury, make sure to take steps immediately as the sooner you dive into the process, the sooner you’ll be able to finalize the settlement process.
